Elephant Mountain Park Introduction
Xiangshan Park, formerly known as Zhongqiang Park, was renamed to better reflect its geographical features and meet public expectations, as it is located next to Xiangshan. The park is home to the only conservation animal named after Taipei, the Taipei tree frog, making this precious ecological resource deserving of careful protection and offering opportunities for learning to coexist harmoniously with nature. Many of the park's facilities incorporate the vocabulary and colors of the Taipei tree frog, such as the frog footprints embedded in the ground, symbolizing the leaps of natural life. The park's lights feature silhouettes of tree frogs, complementing the shade provided by the trees. The colors of the handrails on benches, walls, and ceilings of the public restrooms resonate with the unique ecological resources of Xiangshan Park. The restroom's outer wall features artwork by spiritual painter Tseng Jih-sheng, who brings an invisible life energy through colorful murals of flowers, green grass, and tree frogs, located next to the children's playground, allowing children at play and parents resting nearby to enjoy the vibrant flowers that enhance their happiness and relaxation. The design of the children's playground echoes the local unique Taipei tree frog resources, with the overall space themed around "The Adventures of the Tree Frog." It features a landscape hill that symbolizes the three environments in which tree frogs live: water, land, and trees. The landscape hill also includes various facilities such as climbing walls, rope climbing, slides, holes, and stairs, allowing children to explore freely and create their own play styles. Additionally, there is a climbing net assembly, which includes suspension bridge boards, spider web patterns, and X-shaped nets for older children to experience muscle stretching. The playground includes three types of swings: a standard swing for children over six years old, a wrap-around swing for children under six, and the country’s first double swing, allowing two children or a parent and child to use it together, fostering intimate interactions between parents and children. Additionally, a rocking plate designed for accessibility is located at the base of the play hill, where children can lie, sit, or even stand to experience the thrill of rocking and swaying. (Text sourced from the Public Works Department of Taipei City)
